Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-IV§5 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Sectors |
Income or price support |
Agriculture |
Relevant information
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(...) focused on support to producers of staple commodities (maize, soybeans, wheat, cotton, sugar, rice, and dairy), modern farm bills are much wider in scope, and address a range of issues such as revenue and price support, crop insurance, credit, disaster relief, conservation, research, bioenergy, horticulture and organic farming, rural development, nutrition, food aid, and trade. (...)
4.6. (...) Countercyclical payments on historical base were replaced by the option to enrol in one of two programmes tied to historical base, either a price-based countercyclical income support programme – the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) – or a revenue-based countercyclical income support programme – the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC). (...) The Farm Bill also sought to rationalize various conservation programmes.
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Keywords
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Bio
Conservation
Energy
Organic
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-IV§41 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Sectors |
Grants and direct payments |
Agriculture |
Relevant information
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The Bipartisan Budget Act introduced new disaster relief measures in response to losses stemming from natural disasters in 2017. The 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (2017 WHIP) covered crop, tree vine, and bush losses in area hit by wildfires and hurricanes, compensating producers for their individual losses up to 95% (for those with crop insurance) or 65% (for non-insured farmers), retroactively from 1 January 2017. In return, the beneficiaries are obliged to purchase insurance for the next two available crop years. (...) Finally, the Act authorized US$400 million to fund the Emergency Conservation Program, a programme providing assistance for repairs due to natural disasters or water conservation measures in response to severe drought.
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-IV§54 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Sectors |
General environmental reference |
Energy |
Relevant information
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Primary energy consumption amounted to nearly 98 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2017 (Chart 4.4). About 80% of the demand was covered by the combustion of fossil fuels, while 20% was met by renewable energy or nuclear electric power. (…) Among such fuels, the most significant trends over the last 50 years have been a steady rise in the production of natural gas and, from 2008, a decline in the consumption of coal. Primary energy consumption peaked in 2007, and then fell as a result of the economic downturn. However, the subsequent economic recovery has not led to a similar rebound in energy demand, as the economy has become ever more energy efficient. (...)
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-IV§58 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Sectors |
Tax concessions |
Energy, Manufacturing, Services |
Relevant information
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Federal and state agencies manage a range of incentives, notably tax credits, to encourage investment in renewable energy. Tax credits have also been available for purchases of energy-efficient appliances and for energy efficiency upgrades of residential buildings since 1978.
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-IV§66 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Sectors |
General environmental reference |
Energy |
Relevant information
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Hydropower and solid biomass generate the majority of renewable power. However, biofuels, wind, and solar energy have become important additional resources. Consumption of biofuels and other renewable energy resources (other than hydropower) more than doubled between 2000 and 2017, mainly in response to federal and state requirements or incentives. The surge in production was particularly sharp for wind power, and to some extent also for solar power. As the reliance on renewable energy forms an essential part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, further expansion of the renewable energy supply is expected in coming years.
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Keywords
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Bio
Emissions
Energy
Green
Renewable
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-IV§67 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Sectors |
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Energy |
Relevant information
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Renewable energy resources accounted for approximately 17% of the electricity generated in 2017. The United States does not have a national target for renewable energy or an explicit federal support mechanism. However, various federal programmes support research and development projects related to renewable energies, and regulations encourage their use, for example by requiring transportation fuel to include a minimum level of renewable fuel. At the state level, 29 states and the District of Columbia have "renewable portfolio standards" or similar binding targets for renewable energy, and eight states and one territory have set non-binding targets. States apply numerous measures, including tax credit schemes, energy metering, and certification programmes, to promote the development and use of renewable energy sources. [57]
[57] According to the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center, its DSIRE database is the most comprehensive source available on state incentives and policies that support renewables and energy efficiency in the United States.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-IV§70 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Sectors |
Internal taxes, Loans and financing |
Other |
Relevant information
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The management of used fuel, including the disposal of high-level waste, is the responsibility of the Federal Government. A charge has been levied on sales of electricity generated by nuclear power since 1982. The proceeds have been accumulated in the Nuclear Waste Fund, which was set up to finance the permanent and safe disposal of highly radioactive waste. The Fund was valued at US$44.5 billion at the end of September 2017. At present, public utilities store their waste on-site, in specially designed pools or in steel and concrete casks, while agreement on a long-term storage site remains pending.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-IV§73 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Sectors |
General environmental reference |
Energy |
Relevant information
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Among the renewables, the hydroelectric capacity expanded rapidly until the 1970s. Since then, production has varied substantially in line with fluctuations in annual rainfall. Among other types of renewable energy, wind power currently dominates. Biomass, solar energy, and geothermal power plants still account for no more than 4% of the electricity supply. Even though the construction costs for solar and wind energy production capacity have fallen in recent years, the average construction cost of new wind power capacity was still 80% higher than for new natural gas generators in 2016.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-IV§200 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Sectors |
General environmental reference |
Services |
Relevant information
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Although construction per se is not federally regulated, safety issues are. Safety regulations concerning the construction industry are enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration at the federal level, or by equivalent state agencies. All states require contractors to have workers' compensation insurance. There are also a number of environment-related laws that must be followed, including those related to asbestos, lead, and industrial waste. [165]
[165] Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) online information.
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-IV§224 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Sectors |
General environmental reference |
Manufacturing |
Relevant information
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The Maritime Administration (MARAD), under the Department of Transportation, is the agency responsible for developing commercial maritime regulations and programmes that ensure the viability of the U.S. Merchant Marine, and promote the use of waterborne transportation and its integration with other segments of the transportation system. (...) MARAD's mission is to improve, strengthen and promote the maritime transportation system to meet (...) environmental, (...) needs. (...)
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